One of the readings we had in SPAN 201 is The Eclipse or El Eclipse. The story was about Fray Bartolom\u00e9 Arrazola, and in the story he was lost in a power jungle in Guatemala. He felt so hopeless, and accepted that nothing could save him anymore. He sat there quietly waiting for death, and he soon feel asleep. When he woke up, he found himself surrounded by a group of indians with impassive expressions. They were preparing to sacrifice him before an altar, and this seemed to be the bed where he would rest. Bartolom\u00e9 had a reasonable dominion of the native language by being in the country for three years, so he said some word that were understood. Then an idea struck him. He had universal culture and an arduous knowledge of Aristotle. He remembered that a total eclipse of the sun would be expected that day, and Bartolom\u00e9 thought to use this information against them. Also to save his life. He told told that if they killed him, he would make to sun dark. The Indians stared at him with a disbelief in their eyes. They formed a council to talk things over while Bartolom\u00e9 waited in confidence. However, in two hours Bartolom\u00e9 was to meet his demise. His heart was on the sacrificial stone dripping blood. Meanwhile one of the natives spoke without haste and recited the infinite dates of solar and lunar eclipses. All of\u00a0which the astronomers of the Mayan community had foreseen and written down in their codices, without the valuable help of Aristotle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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One of the readings we had in SPAN 201 is The Eclipse or El Eclipse. The story was about Fray Bartolom\u00e9 Arrazola, and in the story he was lost in a power jungle in Guatemala. He felt so hopeless, and accepted that nothing could save him anymore. He sat there quietly waiting for death, and… <\/p>\n